South Africans should prepare for a day of varied conditions, ranging from widespread showers and thunderstorms to intense heat and fog, according to the latest weather reports. Conditions differ significantly across the country’s nine provinces, with warnings in place for potential flooding and fire danger.
Provincial Weather Overview
Gauteng
Gauteng, the country’s most populous province with an estimated 16 million residents, will experience cloudy and warm conditions alongside widespread showers and thundershowers. The UVB Sunburn Index is expected to be low. Johannesburg, the administrative capital, is located at 25°44′46″S 28°11′17″E.
Mpumalanga
Cloudy and cool to warm weather is forecast for Mpumalanga, with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers, though isolated in the Lowveld. The provincial capital, Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit), is situated at 25°27′57″S 30°59′07″E. Mpumalanga is the second smallest province, covering 76,495 square kilometres, and is home to approximately 4.7 million people.
Limpopo
Morning fog is expected along the escarpment in Limpopo, giving way to cloudy and warm to hot conditions with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, becoming widespread in the south-west. Polokwane, the capital and largest city, is located at 23°54′00″S 29°27′00″E. Limpopo is the fifth largest province, spanning 125,754 square kilometres, and has a population of around 5.9 million.
North West
The North West province will see fog patches in the east, followed by cloudy, windy, and warm to hot conditions with widespread showers and thundershowers, scattered in the extreme west. Its capital, Mahikeng (formerly Mafikeng), is located at 25°51′56″S 25°38′37″E. The province covers 104,882 square kilometres and has a population of approximately 4.2 million.
Free State
Fog patches are anticipated in the east of the Free State, followed by cloudy, windy, and cool to warm conditions with widespread showers and thundershowers, isolated to scattered in the west. Bloemfontein, the capital and largest city – also South Africa’s judicial capital – is situated at 29°07′S 26°13′E. The Free State is the third largest province, covering 129,825 square kilometres, but has a relatively small population of around 2.9 million.
Northern Cape
The largest province, at 372,889 square kilometres, the Northern Cape will experience morning fog along the coast, with partly cloudy, windy, and warm to hot conditions. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected, scattered in the extreme east, and very hot conditions are forecast for the extreme north. Its capital, Kimberley, is located at 28°44′18″S 24°45′50″E. The Northern Cape has the smallest population, estimated at 1.3 million.
Western Cape
The Western Cape will see fine conditions in the west, with partly cloudy and warm to hot weather elsewhere, though cloudy and cool along the south coast with isolated morning showers. Very hot conditions are expected in some western areas. Cape Town, the capital city, is located at 33°55′31″S 18°25′26″E. The province is the fourth largest, covering 129,449 square kilometres, and is home to approximately 7.2 million people. The UVB Sunburn Index is expected to be Very High.
Eastern Cape
The Western half of the Eastern Cape will be cloudy with morning showers along the coast, becoming partly cloudy and warm with isolated thundershowers. The Eastern half will experience cloudy conditions with morning fog and isolated showers. The Eastern Cape is the second largest province, covering 168,966 square kilometres, and has a population of around 6.7 million. Its capital is Bhisho, located at 32°50′58″S 27°26′17″E.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal will experience morning fog patches over the interior, followed by partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions with isolated showers and thundershowers, scattered in the west. The capital city, Pietermaritzburg, is located at 29°37′S 30°23′E. KwaZulu-Natal is the seventh largest province, covering 94,361 square kilometres, and is the second most populous, with an estimated 11.5 million inhabitants. The UVB Sunburn Index is expected to be High.
Weather Alerts
An Orange Level 5 warning is in effect for severe thunderstorms leading to flooding in parts of the Free State, North West, Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. A Yellow Level 2 warning is also in place for localized flooding in parts of the Northern Cape, Free State, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in the Dawid Kruiper and Kai Garib municipalities of the Northern Cape, and the West Coast district of the Western Cape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UVB Sunburn Index in the Western Cape?
The expected UVB Sunburn Index in the Western Cape is Very High.
Which province has the largest population?
Gauteng has the largest population, with an estimated 16 million inhabitants as of the 2020 census.
Which province is the largest in terms of area?
The Northern Cape is the largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, covering 372,889 square kilometres.
Given the varied weather conditions and active alerts across South Africa, how might individuals best prepare for potential disruptions to daily life?
